Indian Last Names: A Comprehensive Guide to Their Origins and Meanings

Are you curious about the rich tapestry of Indian last names? This comprehensive guide delves into the diverse origins and meanings behind some of the most common and unique Indian surnames. From ancient Sanskrit roots to regional variations, discover the stories woven into these names and gain a deeper understanding of Indian culture and heritage.
1. **Agarwal:** Derived from "Agrawal," a community of traders who originated from the city of Agra.
2. **Ahuja:** A surname of Punjabi origin, possibly meaning "one who possesses" or "lord."
3. **Aiyengar:** A South Indian Brahmin surname, literally meaning "a person belonging to the Iyangar sect."
4. **Ajmera:** A surname originating from the city of Ajmer in Rajasthan, often associated with the merchant community.
5. **Anand:** Meaning "joy" or "bliss" in Sanskrit, a common surname found throughout India.
6. **Bajaj:** A surname of Punjabi origin, possibly meaning "a trader" or "a merchant."
7. **Bhatia:** A surname of Punjabi origin, meaning "a person who lives in a Bhatti village."
8. **Bhatnagar:** A surname originating from the city of Bhatnagar in Punjab, often associated with the Brahmin community.
9. **Chopra:** A surname of Punjabi origin, meaning "one who collects" or "a collector."
10. **Das:** A surname found throughout India, meaning "servant" or "follower."
11. **Dutta:** A surname of Bengali origin, meaning "a learned person" or "a scholar."
12. **Gandhi:** A surname of Gujarati origin, meaning "a perfumer" or "a seller of perfumes."
13. **Goyal:** A surname of Punjabi origin, meaning "a cowherd" or "a milkman."
14. **Gupta:** A surname found throughout India, meaning "a protected one" or "a secret keeper."
15. **Jain:** A surname associated with the Jain religion, meaning "a conqueror" or "a victor."
16. **Joshi:** A surname of North Indian origin, meaning "a scholar" or "a learned person."
17. **Kapoor:** A surname of Punjabi origin, meaning "a cotton grower" or "a cotton merchant."
18. **Kar:** A surname of Punjabi origin, meaning "a worker" or "a craftsman."
19. **Khan:** A surname of Persian origin, meaning "a king" or "a lord."
20. **Khanna:** A surname of Punjabi origin, meaning "a person who lives in Khanna."
21. **Kumar:** A surname found throughout India, meaning "a prince" or "a son."
22. **Lal:** A surname of Hindi origin, meaning "red" or "ruby."
23. **Malhotra:** A surname of Punjabi origin, meaning "a person who lives in Malhotra."
24. **Mathur:** A surname of North Indian origin, meaning "a person who lives in Mathura."
25. **Mehta:** A surname of Gujarati origin, meaning "a chief minister" or "a prime minister."
26. **Mishra:** A surname of North Indian origin, meaning "a mixed one" or "a hybrid."
27. **Mittal:** A surname of Punjabi origin, meaning "a friend" or "a companion."
28. **Mukherjee:** A surname of Bengali origin, meaning "a person who lives in Mukherjee."
29. **Nanda:** A surname found throughout India, meaning "joy" or "bliss."
30. **Patel:** A surname of Gujarati origin, meaning "a headman" or "a leader."
31. **Rai:** A surname of North Indian origin, meaning "a king" or "a lord."
32. **Rao:** A surname of South Indian origin, meaning "a king" or "a lord."
33. **Sharma:** A surname of North Indian origin, meaning "a learned person" or "a scholar."
34. **Singh:** A surname found throughout India, meaning "a lion" or "a king."
35. **Sood:** A surname of Punjabi origin, meaning "a person who lives in Sood."
36. **Srivastava:** A surname of North Indian origin, meaning "a person who lives in Srivastava."
37. **Thakur:** A surname of North Indian origin, meaning "a lord" or "a master."
38. **Tripathi:** A surname of North Indian origin, meaning "a person who lives in Tripathi."
39. **Verma:** A surname of North Indian origin, meaning "a great warrior" or "a hero."
40. **Yadav:** A surname found throughout India, meaning "a descendant of the Yadava clan."